American Handgunner May/June 2011

gEt rEaDY fOr that BaCkYarD safari! DavE anDErsOn The precision MP-46M target pistol is made by Baikal of Russia for 10m airgun competition. Swinging the compression lever all the way forward raises the locking bolt so a .177 pellet can be placed in the barrel. Returning the lever to closed position compresses air in the chamber beneath the barrel. The bolt is then manually pushed down and locked. Trigger reach, pull and over-travel are easily adjustable. olmes had picked up the powerful air-gun from the floor and was examining the mechanism. “An admirable and unique weapon,” said he, “noiseless and of tremendous power. I knew Von Herder, the blind German mechanic, who constructed it to the order of the late Professor Moriarty.” (from The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle). If the great detective could see some of the airguns available today he’d toss Von Herder’s invention in the Thames alongside the Agra treasure. The best air-powered rifles and pistols are the most sophisticated and accurate guns in the world. Airguns are available for virtually every need and in every price range. Pyramyd Air is a major distributor of airguns. It’s run by airgun enthusiasts, and what they don’t know about airguns isn’t worth knowing. Their website is outstanding, showing not just products What do these items have in common? I acquired them all when I was between the ages of nine to 14, meaning they are mostly around 50 years old. The Liberty .177 spring piston air rifle and Crosman 600 CO2 pistol are the ones with which I first learned to shoot. The MP-46M is a precision, super accurate target pistol for Olympicstyle 10m competition. This is a single-stroke pneumatic design, storing compressed air in the tube beneath the barrel. The trigger can be adjusted forward or back to fit different hand sizes and has a two-stage pull with a beautiful crisp break at one pound. At a bit under $400 this is not a pistol you’d buy on a whim, but its accuracy is simply stunning. If a shot is out of the group you put it there, the gun didn’t. Velocity of the .177 pellets used average just over 500 fps with amazing consistency, extreme spreads of 10 fps or less. The rear sight has precision adjustments and sight picture is excellent. The MP-46M is a truly impressive shooting instrument. 64 h The bolt assembly is very simple yet robust and offers reliable, accurate operation. Pellets (.177) are handloaded individually, and this is one gun where spending money on good quality pellets can pay off. While we often think of products from Russia as being inferior, the MP-46M is a highly refined piece of engineering, well thought-out and manufactured with care. WWW.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM • MAY/JUNE 2011